Hike Mount Britton Trail in the Rain Forest (note Tower is closed)
Update-9/23- the tower is closed for the next few months for renovations.
The Mount Britton Trail is a 0.8 mile, one-way hike. It starts a short walk from the trail head on Rd 9938 (off of Road 191). The it leads to the Mt Britton Tower, which has an elevation of 2,493 feet and climbs 594 feet in less than one mile. The trail is narrow, but paved, and well-maintained. It is a labeled as a “Challenging” trail by the US Forest Service, but we didn’t really think it was that challenging. I guess they they labeled it that was because it’s steep in some places, and the paved walkway can be slippery.
To get to the trail head, you need to go up Road 191, past the Palo Colorado Information Center, until Km 12.7 where you will see the sign for the trail and the road goes to the right. Turn right onto Road 9938 and go until you see parking around the trailhead sign. There is parking available on the road. Park only in designated spots. This is a one way road that loops back to Rd 191 again. The Mount Britton Trail goes through the Sierra Palm Forest, which you’ll easily recognize because of the huge number of palm trees growing in this area! There are a number of places where you will be near streams along the way. There is one spot, close to the trail head, that has a cute little river pool you could cool your feet off in. There are three rain shelters along the way, with benches. This trail will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. The Mount Britton Trail ends on Forest Service Road 10. Service Road 10 is closed to public traffic, so it’s a safe place to walk. It is very nice, usually shady, and has some great vistas along both the way up and down.
In this article, we talk about three very different trails with three very similar sounding names: the Mount Britton Trail, the Mount Britton Tower Trail and the Mount Britton Spur. They are three separate trails that all happen to be on Mount Britton. It might be helpful to print out a copy of our El Yunque Trail Map for reference.
At this point, you have a decision to make …
If you want to continue up to the Mount Britton Tower, turn right and walk up Service Road 10 approximately 500 feet to the trail head for the Mount Britton Tower Trail. This is a very short trail, and the views from the top of the tower make it well worth the effort.
If you want to go up the the El Yunque Peak, turn right and walk up Service Road 10 all the way to the peak. Alternately, you could walk up Service Road 10 until you get to the Mount Britton Spur, turn right and then take that trail until it meets up with the El Yunque Trail (at which point you turn left). Either way, you’ll get to the peak. Eventually.
If you are ready to quit and go back to your car, you can either turn around retrace your steps along the Mount Britton Trail, or turn left onto Service Road 10 and follow it until it ends on Road 191. When you get to Road 191, turn left (there’s a sign pointing toward the “Palo Colorado Information Center”), and in a couple of minutes you’ll be at the intersection of Roads 191 and 9938.
Or, if you want more of an adventure in the rain forest, and choose not to return to your car the way you came, or take the road down, you can take the Mount Britton Spur. But realize, this will end up up nowhere near where your car is parked. It will require a long uphill walk on Rt 191 to get back to the Mt Britton trailhead parking. If you choose this route, (I really don’t recommend it!), turn right and walk up Service Road 10 approximately 500 feet to the trail head for the Mount Britton Tower Trail. The Mount Britton Spur is just off of Service Road 10, and it goes to the right into the forest, just above the Mount Britton Tower Trail. The Spur will junction with the El Yunque Trail. At this junction, proceed down (to the right) to where it junctions with the Baño de Oro Trail. Here you can either take the Baño de Oro Trail to the right (one of my favorites), or continue down El Yunque. Either way, they both end on Road 191, near the Palo Colorado Information Center. At this point, you will need to turn right on to Road 191 and walk up the road (uphill) to where it meets Road 9938 (and presumably where you parked your car). This is really not feasible as it is a couple miles UP a STEEP, winding road with traffic.
Mount Britton Tower 
The short Mount Britton Tower Trail goes off to a sharp right from Service Road 10. The tower was built in the 1930s at the peak of Mount Britton, at an elevation is 3,087 feet (941 meters). This cute little stone tower is covered with orange lichens, making it look like fake stone. Climbing the circular stairway (short – maybe 40 steps) is worth the effort – the views are fantastic. If you get there when it is not too cloudy, you will have a great panoramic view of the surrounding forest, the Atlantic Ocean and north coast, and the Caribbean Sea and the east coast. Once you’re done with the tower, you’ll need to retrace your steps along the trail back to Service Road 10. Once back on Service Road 10, you have the same options that we presented above for returning to your car.
El Yunque National Forest is open 7 days/week, year-round. 8:00am-5:00pm
You can visit the El Yunque National Forest web site for more information.
Click on a placename below to view the location on Google Maps ...
PuertoRicoDayTrips.com assumes no responsibility regarding your safety when participating in the activities described in this article. Please use common sense! If your mother or that little voice in your head tells you that you are about to do something stupid … then don't do it!
